See how the picks stack up heading into the homestretch

No. 7: Banco Santander

Banking on Spain coming into 2012 seemed a bit risky, considering all the drama that’s been unfolding in the eurozone.

But in the past few months, Jim Jubak’s Banco Santander (NYSE:STD) has indeed done well. In fact, STD takes the silver medal in the third quarter alone for its double-digit gains.

Shares of the company moved downward slightly in the beginning of July, but have been on a steady upward trend ever since — possibly as a result of Mario Draghi’s bond-buying announcement.

As with others sitting in the back half of the race, though, the short-term rally wasn’t enough to offset the tough reality of the year overall. Even with last quarter’s jump, the company still hasn’t been able to claw back into the black.

On top of that, Banco saw double-digit gains in the first few months of 2012, then a drop offset that climb soon after. Will the fourth quarter also erase the company’s solid Q3 — or if can it build on the latest rally for a last-minute comeback?